Well, it finally snowed ... I went on a small MTB GTG.

[Noob]

A new trail opend up 40miles from where I live, I unfortunetly, newer felt the urge to go, since there are 2 trails within, 10mi. of my place ... anyway I finally went with a couple of friends... It snowed about 8in. at christmas, and snowed a little more the next weekend, its been cold and the park was closed untill the local mtb group pulled some strings ...

Geting it all started


...at he halfway point ( the beer barn )


The way we went, it ended up being a 12mi loop, and took us an hour and a half ! ... some of the guys that ride it in the summer , and it took them 45 then. estimated an hour with the snow.

We all dressed like we were going on road bike ride in the teens ... needless to say we overdressed, everyone lost the balacklavas and various layers at the barn...

[Fenlason]

You guys need some fat bikes

[Noob]

:thumbsup: You guys need some fat bikes

Started with 2 ... they both flatted, and turned around at mi 2 ... one guy was running 4psi the other 9 ... ( I wanted to point out that it IS still an mtb trail.)

Screwed some of the guys, I guess there was a game plan... The fat bikes go first and pack it down for the rest of the crew ... the ss small block eight tired guy was def banking on that... along with some of the full sus hard pack tire guys ...

Turns out the hard pack that the fat bikes create, was actually too slick for almost all, and the tall fullfy stuff had more grip ! ... no one was geared low enough for "switch-back hill". The 1x9 guy def hated it ...

[Fenlason]

Snow is funny stuff... there are soo many variables to it. At times people love following my tracks [when I am on my Pugs and they are on regular mountain bikes]. Even a fat bike following the tracks of another fat bike can help. Yet at times, as you found out, riding semi packed snow is worse than riding in untracked snow. It had to have been pretty light and fluffy snow to be able to ride snow that deep with a regular mountain bike at all.

It looks like it was fun.

[Shadow Catcher]

I remember going bicycling in one of the local metroparks in below zero temps. That was the time I learned the value of synthetic grease. The freewheel froze up solid.

[Fenlason]

I have had... sort of the opposite problem. The pawls inside freeze up so that they don't engage. Your will be coasting, and they will freeze in that position... and then don't engage. It ends up freewheeling in both directions.

[Noob]

Tankfully, it wasnt that *cold* for "us" ... all I had happen was, that snow built up on the "fast" part of the cass, so in the downhills you couldnt shift in to them, and had to settle for coasting down ...
A lot of guys rode clipless & spd's at that, which where packing with snow @ the bottom of every pedal stroke as they rode. Sooo when you need to clip out, ( couple of downd trees, from the snow. We dont usualy get our anual snow fall in a week... ) you're not cliping back in. I wonder how many of those guys went out, and baught some eggbeaters ...

[Fenlason]

Tankfully, it wasnt that *cold* for "us" ... all I had happen was, that snow built up on the "fast" part of the cass, so in the downhills you couldnt shift in to them, and had to settle for coasting down ...
A lot of guys rode clipless & spd's at that, which where packing with snow @ the bottom of every pedal stroke as they rode. Sooo when you need to clip out, ( couple of downd trees, from the snow. We dont usualy get our anual snow fall in a week... ) you're not cliping back in. I wonder how many of those guys went out, and baught some eggbeaters ...

Here [right local anyways] people seem to be pretty stubborn when it comes to pedals. They complain.. and have problems with spd's but won't switch over.